Existing wireless system architectural configurations impose stringent constraints on the system designer with regards to transmitting communication signals. Moreover, such configurations often provide low reliability communication links, high operating costs, and an undesirably low level of integration with other system components.
In the radio frequency (RF) section of a conventional low-cost wireless transmitter configured with analog components, a considerable level of distortion occurs when RF signals are processed. Higher cost components with better distortion characteristics that enhance signal quality may be overlooked during the design phase in order to reduce the cost of the end-product.
For example, a conventional wireless communication system typically uses a modulator to modulate a complex signal which is made up of a real component and an imaginary component, referred to as the in-phase (I) signal component and the quadrature (Q) signal component, respectively. A common problem associated with such systems is that amplitude imbalance occurs in the complex signal because the power of the I component is not equal to the power of the Q component, and phase imbalance occurs in the complex signal because the I and Q signal components deviate from phase quadrature, i.e., they differ by more or less than 90 degrees because they are not orthogonal.
In summary, amplitude and phase imbalances cause a distortion in the signal constellation and can drastically impact the overall performance of the communication system. It is desired to provide a digital baseband (DBB) system, including a low cost transmitter with low noise and minimal power requirements. Such a DBB system would utilize DSP techniques to provide an improved and less complex method and system for compensating for amplitude and phase imbalances in an analog radio transmitter.